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by learning that Col Gants Regt had made there escape out of the Fort, so beleved, but could not learn the certainty of it, hundreds of reports verry Contradictory ( Mary in greate trouble in Town )

Tu Feby 18. Went to Town so many contradictory reports I became verry uneasy and greatly alarmed for the boys situation, we could get nothing that was satisfactory to me, but many others thought we were safe.

[hand pointing] I see a letter from Mat to his wife dated the 11th Feby saying William & Thomas was then upon a dangerous Scout & had lost 23 men they told Mat when they left if they never got back to make his way home the best way he could. Some of the Scouts got in before Mat wrote the letter & told him that William & Thomas was safe.
Bank Brown came home says he left Fort Donalson Sunday but knows little.

Feby 19 James Parks note the Gun boats are in sight of Clarksville at 2 oclock P.M. Come up the river Cant get any different news only supose the boys are all in prison
The news comes from those that left the battlefield before the fight was over

Feby 20 Gun boats expected at Nashville to night greate excitement people leaving every where for the South The Bridges ( 2 0 across the Cumberland river torn down ( at